My Mute Bride

Not long after Victor left, Rachel heard the doorbell ring.

Originally thinking he left something behind, she opened the door, only to see a courier.

“Ms. Rachel Hudson?”

Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded.

“There are two intracity express parcels for you. Please sign here.”

Startled, she signed for the parcels, thereafter receiving a cake and a paper bag.

Right now on the table, there was still half an uneaten cake that Victor had rushed out to buy at noon upon finding out it was her birthday.

So, who bought the cake that the courier delivered?

Setting it aside on the table for now, she pulled a rectangular suede box out of the paper bag.

With a click, she opened it and discovered a silver-colored necklace in the box that glimmered underneath the light

The pendant was in the simple design of a small sun with a hollow center.

Putting down the box, she found a card on top of the cake box that simply read ‘Happy Birthday’ without any signature.

Dumbfounded, she stared at the items until her phone started vibrating.

It was a text message from Julian reading, ‘Did you receive what I sent?’

Immediately, she understood. ‘I did. I was wondering who would remember my birthday.’

‘Don’t forget that you’re a patient of mine. It’s not strange that I would remember your birthday.’

‘Thank you.

‘You’re welcome. Are you free? I just finished work; come down for a walk with me!

Looking at the time, she agreed, ‘Okay.’

At this hour after dinner, the community was lively. All of the houses were lit up, and the sound of children laughing could be heard around the neighborhood as they ran around playing.

stone table and opened it. Before she could even offer some to anyone, a group of children was surrounding her and staring eagerly at the cake with

cake is so pretty,

she lifted a knife and a paper plate,

to the side. “Today is Miss Rachel’s birthday. Before she treats you all to some cake, what should

the group, which happened to be a little girl in pigtails, immediately said, “Wish Miss

the ‘Happy

close her

blow out

Julian that there was no need to go to

the children sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in unison. The delicate chorus of young voices

“Make a wish.”

There’s no need.

make a wish on your birthday, Miss Rachel. My mommy says you have to say it in your heart and not out loud,

to look, she found a little girl who wasn’t even at table height

under the gazes of the children, clasped her hands and made a wish.

to say thank you!”

paper plates, the children raced off, dabbing icing on each other’s faces. Just like that, the strangers in the community

smiled for the first time in days. Thank you,

“The most important thing right now is to take care of your body and your mood. You don’t need to worry about anything else. As

anyway, so I might as well pretend it never

child, he changed the topic and told her, “Go on upstairs, then. It’s been getting colder lately, so make sure

she turned and headed

her apartment and

was propped

up, Rachel saw Justin glowering at her, his darkened face made all the more grotesque by the centipede-like scar

out on

he slid sideways into the house and shut the door before surveying the

you’ve been getting along fine

two steps back.

pulled off his necktie and threw

sneered, “I suppose you

her, forcing

had no idea what she did

and pulled, she staggered after him and was dragged all the way